Shay Logan wants Cove Rangers to be nastier to help turn around their Championship form.
A four-game unbeaten run has been replaced by back-to-back defeats as again Cove have been left to count the cost of a lack of quality.
They were beaten 1-0 by Inverness at the weekend and struggled to test visiting goalkeeper Mark Ridgers, while at the back they were left to count the cost of a cheap goal by Steven Boyd.
Cove remain in eighth, four points clear of the bottom pair Arbroath and Hamilton, but there is little doubt their performances leave room to improve.
The Aberdeen outfit are due to head on the road in the next two weekends, against Ayr United and Accies. Cove’s only point away from the Balmoral Stadium came in a 2-2 draw with Partick Thistle last month.
Logan believes the answer to develop more of a nasty streak.
“It seems to be a grind this season, with playing well and not getting results,” said Logan. “That’s just the way the league is. We’ve got to do better to get points.
“I don’t think it’s a change in mentality this year. It’s harder opposition and as a team we need to be stronger, have a bit more bite about us.
“I feel we’ve got it at some stages of the game where we need to be nasty all the way through it. I think we need that more and we’ll get results.
“It’s definitely there. Up until Saturday we were the second-best team in the league on our home form. We always make this a hard place to come.
“If we play well we’re favourites to beat anyone at home. But we’ve been giving silly goals away recently and when you’re not scoring enough as well, it’s hard to win the game.”
Logan has found himself shifted out of his natural right-back position of late, moving over to the left to accommodate newcomer Max Johnston.
The former Aberdeen and Brentford man has moved over to the opposite side of the defence and is happy playing on either flank.
“I started out as a left-back, before I became a right-back,” said Logan. “I honestly don’t mind.
“I do cut in a lot on my right but I don’t mind hitting the ball with my left as well. It feels natural for me. If it helps the team out I’ll play anywhere.”